San Jose man arrested after threatening to blow up house, setting shed on fire

By Mark Gomez mgomez@mercurynews.com

Posted:
01/20/2014 11:58:20 AM PST

Updated:
01/21/2014 06:07:05 AM PST

SAN JOSE -- A San Jose man was arrested early Monday morning after threatening to blow up his family's house and lighting a backyard shed on fire, according to police.

The man -- who police did not immediately identify -- was arrested and booked on 12 felony counts, including suspicion of arson and making criminal threats.

The hourlong incident began at 11:18 p.m. when officers responded to a home on Regan Street after receiving reports that a man was standing outside, holding bottles of gasoline and threatening to blow up the house.

When officers arrived, they learned the man had a felony, no-bail warrant and a history of evading and resisting officers, according to police Officer Albert Morales.

Officers got everyone out of the house and surrounded the residence but did not locate the man inside. Officers heard and saw movement coming from a shed in the backyard and ordered the people inside to come out. Their orders were ignored, Morales said.

Police say the man lit a fire inside the shed but remained inside. Officers also saw a woman inside the shed, and she was eventually pushed out by the male suspect.

The suspect then closed the shed and refused to surrender. He told police he had a gun and threatened to shoot himself and police.

When the fire spread inside the shed, the man exited and tried to escape by hopping over a fence. The man was apprehended by officers and a police dog. Once the suspect was in custody, firefighters extinguished the blaze.